Dragonball Z: Crossroads
by Atarashi Omoide
Summary: A DBZ fan fiction based loosely on the future trunks story arc. It continues the events after Future Trunks returns to the future time line and features characters that have not yet appeared in that time-line as well as a few characters of my own.
1. Chapter 1

This is my own, fan-made story based loosely on Dragonball Z's Future Trunks story line as well as The Dragonball Z video game "Another Road". I do not own Dragonball Z or any of its character's please support the original release.

"Now I can finally say that it's really over. Thanks to you father, and to you Gohan, and especially to you Goku. You're the greatest."

Trunks had defeated the Androids as well as Cell. He could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Although, in his time line, over two thirds of the world's population had been wiped out, the world began to rebuild.

Trunks snaps out of his trance, "oh right, time to go back and tell the others the good news." Trunks turns around and prepares to fly off back to West City, and his mother's time machine.

Suddenly a strange sound in the sky behind him stops him in his tracks. Trunks quickly turns to see a small portal cracking to life in the sky. Trunks is shocked to see a battered time machine emerge from the portal that looks identical to his mother's invention, right down to the word "Hope" written on the fuselage. Emerging right behind the time machine, just as the portal was closing, was a pink energy orb.

Trunks watched speechless as the orb collided with the time machine exploding on contact. The now completely wrecked time machine flies off into the distance and crashes into the ground. Trunks, after a brief moment while his mind tried to take grasp over what he had just seen, Trunks flies off in the direction of the crash.

At the bottom of a smoldering crater lied the destroyed time machine. Trunks studied the craft for a moment and could undeniably confirm that it was, in fact, Bulma's time machine, presumably from another timeline. A small ki blast erupted from the side of the craft, as its pilot began to crawl out.

What Trunks saw he could not believe. Emerging from the time craft was a familiar face. She struggled to her feet cradling a bloodied right arm and limped toward Trunks her semi-long blonde hair falling into her eyes.

Trunks begins to charge a ki blast to destroy yet another Android 18 when something he notices stops him. Android 18 continues to limp towards him, she stretches her left hand towards him and falls to the ground.

She looks up, tears flowing from her eyes he voice cracks, "Trunks, don't use the… time…machine." She then passes out.

Trunks carries the wounded android back to Capsule Corporation. Bulma panic's at first seeing the one of the androids responsible for destroy most of civilization. Trunks explains the circumstances of the android's arrival.

"Well it looks like she's seen better days." Bulma says with a light chuckle trying to calm herself down. Trunks lays the android down on an X-ray table. He then notices a small heart shaped locket around her neck. He reaches behind her neck to remove it.

Trunks reads out loud a tattoo on the android's neck, "18-A, I wonder what that means?"

Bulma examines the tattoo, "Maybe it's just means she's the 18th of Dr. Gero's androids."

Trunks replies, "I don't think the Andriod 18 from our timeline had that."

As Bulma readies the scanning machine, trunks opens the small locket. Inside, is a picture of Android 17 and 18 as children with man and woman standing behind them.

Trunks thinks out loud, "Is that their, real parents?"

Bulma overlooks the results of the scan, "That's so weird…"

Trunks runs over to look at the results with her. Bulma continues, "Her scan doesn't match the blueprints of the other android 18 at all. I mean the functioning is the same but data passageways are no were near as advanced. Oh! and look at this." Bulma points to an empty section on the scan, "All of Dr. Gero's androids have a bomb planted inside them, but hers isn't there."

Trunks sounds stunned, "Do you think it was removed?"

Bulma answers, "Not likely, the procedure to remove the bomb probably would have killed her…unless."

Trunks continues where Bulma left off, "In the past, Krillin wished for the bombs inside the androids to be removed with the dragon balls. But the blueprints of the androids in the past matched the ones from this timeline, the androids were just stronger. This android 18, however, looks vastly different." Trunks looks over the scan again, "Her arm is broken" he says sounding perplexed.

Bulma looks at her arm, "Your right, I've heard of these androids taking a pounding before but I've never heard of them actually getting injured."

Android 18 suddenly sits up on the table. She then grimaces and grabs her injured arm. Trunks and Bulma rush into the room. Trunks is the first to speak.

"I thought androids like you couldn't feel pain." Trunks says in an almost mocking tone.

Andriod 18 looks up at Trunks with one eye shut, "Obviously I'm not so fortunate"

Andriod 18 continues her warning to Trunks,

"Trunks, you must not use the time machine. Andriod 17 and I have been traveling to literally thousands of alternate timelines destroying the time machines to prevent more and more violent dimensions from being created, the last one was so terrible that it took my brother's life and almost mine as well. Since you first used the time machine more and more alternate timelines have been created to the point the universe began to buckle. I've managed to destroy all of the time machines across the thousands of created timelines, save one, yours…the original."

Bulma and Trunks are stunned. "How can we believe you? What proof do you have to back up this claim?"

Android 18 smirks slightly, "He said you would say that." 18 reaches into her back pocket and pulls out a data chip. 18 hands the chip to Bulma, The chip bears the all too familiar "CC" logo on it for Capsule Corporation.

As Android 18 lies down, Bulma and Trunks examine the contents of the data disk. It includes detailed information about the timeline from which she originates as well as a flight record of all of the other timelines the two Androids had traveled. The timeline from which she came consisted of an alternate turn of events of which Android 17 and 18 had discovered the truth about their human lives and then fought with Gohan and Trunks to stop all of Dr. Gero's creations. The last timeline she visited included additional androids created by Dr. Gero's hidden computer lab, a battle that killed Andriod 17-A in an attempt for 18-A to escape. The tattoos "17-A and 18-A were placed there by Bulma so that they could tell themselves from evil androids 17 and 18 in alternate timelines. In the timeline from which they came, the bombs were removed by a wish from the dragon balls. And Bulma had been changing some of their components so that they could remember more about their human lives as well as feel less like androids. A decision that Android 18-A was probably regretting at the moment.

"Can all of this really be true?" Trunks asks his mother.

"No doubt has to be" was Bulma's confident answer.

Trunks looks confused, "How are you so sure?"

"Bulma holds up the data disk" It was password protected with MY password.

In the other room, 18 tries to stand up. Bulma and trunks rush in again. "Your injured you shouldn't move!" Bulma rushes to catch her before she falls over.

Bulma turns to look at Trunks, "Trunks, go to Mr. Popo at Kami's lookout and get some sensu beans."

Trunks nods, "Are you sure it's safe to leave you here with…"

Bulma cuts him off, "Who can I trust if I can't trust myself?" Bulma smiles.

Trunks nods again and runs for the door.

Trunks makes his best possible speed to Kami's lookout. The only resident being Mr. Popo who still kept the place in pristine condition despite Kami having been dead for nearly 20 years. Trunks was beginning to understand that despite having destroyed the androids as well as Cell, he could not assume that there would never again be a threat to Earth. Only now, he was alone. Even Goku would have never lasted as long as he did against countless terrible foes without the help of his friends. He was going to need to rebuild Earth's Special Forces. He just didn't know where to begin. With the death of Piccolo, and in turn Kami, the Earth's dragon balls were no more. Even if they were, Goku had died of natural causes and could not be wished back to life and almost all of the others had been dead for too long. Trunks thought to himself that even if the only person he could wish back to life was Gohan, he would be in a better position to defend the Earth with his best friend by his side.

Trunks arrived at the lookout. Mr. Popo was outside watering plants.

Mr. Popo turns to greet him, "Oh Trunks, what brings you to the lookout?"

Trunks walks up to Mr. Popo towering over him in height, "My mom sent me to get some more sensu beans, how have you been?"

Mr. Popo smiles as he walks toward the central building of the lookout, "Oh the same as usual, you've really become quite strong Trunks, you managed to defeat the androids and cell all by yourself. Your father would be very proud of you." Mr. Popo hands him a small bag of Sensu beans. "Here you go, oh and one more thing." Mr. Popo turns around and picks up a sword. "All finished, it may not be as powerful as the one Tapion gave you, but I think it will help you get your point across." Mr. Popo chuckles lightly to himself.

Trunks takes the beans and the sword with excitement, "Thanks a lot Mr. Popo. So I've been thinking. I would like to rebuild the Earth's Special Forces but I'm not exactly sure where to start. In the past, Dende was made guardian of Earth after Kami fused with Piccolo, I was thinking that maybe Dende could be the guardian of this time as well."

Mr. Popo scratches his head and thinks, "Well, Dende is still on Namek so you would have to have your mother loan you a spaceship to go see him and ask him. It sounds like a great idea Trunks,"

Trunks turns and waves as he prepares to fly off, "Thanks again Mr. Popo. Oh and thank Korin for me for the Sensu Beans." Trunks then rockets back for home.

While flying back home Trunks flies over a city that had been decimated by the androids. This city was so badly damaged that no attempt of yet has been made at rebuilding it. Something catches Trunks' eye. He looks down to see undamaged white van parked next to a flooded crater with a collapsed building in the center.

Trunks drops to the ground to investigate. He finds the white van to be empty. He looks around trying to find the van's driver but to no avail. Suddenly, bubbles start churning at the water's surface nearby. Trunks runs over and looks into the water. Just as he leans down to get a closer look an alien face emerges from the water. Trunks is startled and falls back on his backside.

A muffled voice comes from the alien creature, "Oh, sorry I scared you" as the feminine figure pulls herself out of the water. She then removes her breathing mask, and pulls the cap over her off her head revealing her short, black hair. She then takes off her oxygen tank and moves the goggles from her eyes to her forehead. After adjusting her hair she opens her blue eyes and stretches her hand towards Trunks to shake it, "The name is Videl, what's yours?"

Trunks stands back onto his feet and shakes the strange woman's hand, "I'm Trunks, Trunks Briefs." The human woman was significantly shorter than he was but showed no qualms for looking him straight in the eyes.

"Nice to meet you Trunks, I was just checking a water main line at the bottom of this crater to see if it can be repaired. It'll be a lot of work but I think we can get this city up and running again." Videl takes a moment to survey the landscape and sighs, "This is my home, Orange Star City. I lost a lot of friends here when the androids destroyed it. A lot of other people think this City is just too far gone to be salvaged, but my dad, Mr. Satan, and I haven't given up on it yet."

Trunks looks surprised, "THE Mr. Satan? You're Mr. Satan's daughter?" This wasn't the first time Trunks had heard of the local hero and former World Champion.

Videl smiles letting her pride show, "Yup, that's the one. I heard they're going to try to hold the World Martial Arts Tournament this year. They haven't had one in some many years because of the androids. Maybe my Dad can finally defend his title. Who knows, maybe I'm the next World Champion." Videl flexes her biceps then laughs at herself. "So you look like a pretty tough guy, Mr. Trunks, are you a fighter by any chance?"

Trunks tries to be as humble as possible, "Yea, maybe a little."

Videl smiles, "Thought so, maybe you should look me up sometime if you're up for a sparring match." Videl playfully throws a lame punch into Trunks' arm.

Videl carries her gear to the van and looks toward the falling sun, "Well I better get going; wouldn't want my dad to start worrying. Catch you later Trunks." Videl starts the van hovering and the van flies off.

Trunks thinks to himself, "what a strange girl" then flies toward his home.

Android 18 quickly eats the Sensu bean and sighs with relief as moments later she can move her right arm again. Bulma prepares one of the spare bedrooms and lets the android lay down for the night. Bulma and Trunks sit down at the dinner table enjoying a cup of tea.

"So mom, what's Namek like?" Trunks asks as Bulma sets down her cup.

Bulma smiles and reminisces, "Well, it's a small planet with a green sky, and the trees and grass are blue. It's inhabited by green people with little antennae coming out of their heads," Bulma holds her fingers up to her head to illustrate this, "and these really annoying frogs. Goku and the rest of us went to Namek to use the Namekian dragon balls after Piccolo was…"

Trunks reveled in the enlightened look on his mother's face. He had led her right into his idea. Trunks didn't have the opportunity to outsmart his mother often but he rather enjoyed it on the rare occasion that it did happen.

Bulma smiles, "So who are you going to wish back?"

Trunks replies, "Unfortunately, father and the others have all been gone way too long to wish them back now, but maybe Gohan. You got a spaceship I can borrow?"

Bulma smiles, "I've got just the thing."


	2. Chapter 2

The Namekian struggled to his feet and started to run. Before he could get very far, the alien monster disappeared and instantly reappeared in front of him again. The alien smirked and fiddled with one of the long whiskers stretching from either side of his face. The alien was bald with pink skin, and big, beady eyes. Along with the pink whiskers, his head was also framed by two long ears.

"As I said before you slug of a creature, there's nowhere in the galaxy you can escape from me. I will ask you only once more, where are the dragonballs? Depending on your answer, I might actually let you live." The alien said with a careless laugh.

The Namekian cowered and gave his honest answer, "I-I don't know, the elders have hidden them. They haven't told anyone where they are hidden."

The alien gave a frustrated sigh, "Then tell me where are your elders?"

The voice of a significantly larger cloaked figure boomed a command, "He is useless. Tartar, dispose of him!"

Tartar bowed, "Yes master."

The Namekian began to panic and run for his life. Tartar stretched out his arm and pointed his open hand at the fleeing Namekian. In his hand, and orb of red energy with little lightning bolts around it buzzed into existence.

"Rai…Jin…HAAAAA!" Tartar screamed as a blast of energy rapped in electricity erupted from his hand. A mighty gust is kicked up causing both alien's clothing to flap behind them. The blast quickly caught up with the Namekian, destroying him and a good part of a rock formation beyond him.

After the dust clears, the cloaked figure replaces his hood. Tartar steps up to him and kneels. "All hail Lord Cello"

Cello speaks with authority, "Gather the others, I have a new plan."

Tartar speak compliantly, "Yes master." He then puts two fingers to his forehead and disappears instantly from sight.


End file.
